18 months

dear eli, 

i can't really believe you are 18 months. one and a HALF years. 

so much is happening these days. 

you are so, so active. you were born active, really. your daddy and i understand why you were such a busy, squirmy, sometimes quite fussy, baby. you just wanted to be set free and to MOVE. 

and now you can. 

and you love it. 

some other things you really like:

1. stairs. up, down, repeat. you hold out your hand for one of us to walk them with you. 

2. parks. you aren't into swings at the moment, but slides are your thing! and the play structure keeps you happy. we have to spot you or climb the structure with you because you aren't afraid to make us quite afraid.

3. the kitchen. you are a big fan of the dishwasher, the sink ("helping" me wash dishes), the fridge, the pantry, "your drawers" with tupperware, the "no longer a toy" pots/pans cabinet, and the cheese grater. you now have your own kitchen which you do also love. it makes my heart melt just a bit when i watch you lost in your own world of kitchen love. when i turn my head and see you sipping from your wooden cup or opening your little cabinets. 

4. praying. 18 months has made you very pious. when we sit at the table you put out your hands and start the "eli needs something whine". we all hold hands, some of us close our eyes (i know you don't because i've peeked only to see you wide eyed, looking at us, with a huge smile), and when we say "amen" you just start clapping. sometimes you want to do it again. and lately you want to pray even when we aren't sitting at the table. i'm kind of amazed at how still and quiet you get. 

5. music. we just pulled out daddy's guitar again because you love instruments. you like to do your little swaying dance which somewhat resembles the not-so-cool-kid-on-the-sidelines-of-the-school-dance, but it's ok, you've got time. your daddy has some moves he might teach you. in the meantime, stick to your xylophone and piano. and try not to pummel other kids in your music class who are playing with the instrument you want. 

6. people. you still love people--watching them, charming them, and sometimes letting them hold you or play with you. mostly you love people from a safe distance. you seem increasingly intrigued by your own size people these days. when you see one, you watch them for a minute, then follow them or walk up to them but stand at a good 3 foot distance, stop, examine a minute, then start "eli talking" which resembles monotonous baby gibber punctuated with a few high pitched syllables now and then. if they have a toy, you generally want it, and i have to do some awkward parent intervening. probably not the last of any of that for a some time. but we're glad you like people so much! 

7. your parents. why is this the last? it should be #1, but oh well, you are going to wake up from your nap any second so we'll let it slide. this is perhaps the part that warms my heart the most... watching you love to be around us and want to be around us. it's so very special. and one day you'll understand that even when you love someone a lot they can still frustrate you and make you sad. it happens in family. but we'll always come back to that love we have. and on days when there are lots of tears, i can hold you a little longer. and on the happy days, you can go, explore, run, and then come back to give me a hug. lately i've been really loving the random, BIG hugs you give. the kind where you wrap yourself around me so tight. they are pretty great. and you're learning to kiss... not the best just yet, but we can keep working on it. you love cuddling up to your daddy when he reads to you. you like climbing on him and bouncing on him. if you are awake when he leaves in the morning you cry when he goes out the door. i understand, sometimes i feel like crying inside too. but one of us has always been there with you since you were born. and as long as we can be, we'll continue to be. you see, you are the best gift that's ever happened to us. and there just aren't words for how deep our love goes. and the day might come when we aren't on your list of favorites. and that's ok. but for now we are. and we love it.

happy year and half little man. 

love, mama

18 months

weight: 23.15 lbs (46%)

height: 32.5 in (52%)

teeth: too many to count! (all in except a couple molars)